


His Proxy

by DegrassiFanatic



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:48:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28518141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DegrassiFanatic/pseuds/DegrassiFanatic
Summary: “When I joined the FBI, I realized that I needed to update my medical information, in case something happened to me.” Reid begins to explain as he stares at the documents in Rossi’s hands, “It was a no-brainer when it came to who I wanted to make my medical decisions for me, when I couldn’t. My mother is indisposed. My father isn’t… But, Gideon was there.“Until he wasn’t.” he adds on.
Relationships: Spencer Reid & David Rossi
Comments: 9
Kudos: 155





	His Proxy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [spencers-renaissance (tomlinsoul)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tomlinsoul/gifts).



> guess who's back at it again.
> 
> also if there are mistakes, shut up ❤️️

Warmth seeps through the flimsy paper of the coffee cup he is holding in his hands. It does little to keep away the cold. If Rossi were alone, he would be nursing his drink inside the actual coffeeshop, instead of sitting in the icy outdoors chair just outside of the establishment, in the middle of winter. But, he’s not. He’s with Reid and he knows that there are far too many things in the shop that would make Reid uncomfortable; the amount of people, the close proximity of the seats, the numerous twinkling lights, and not to mention the recycled air that’s sure to have Reid going off on a tangent about proper air ventilation.

Which is why Rossi is freezing his ass off on a plastic chair, with Reid doing the same on the other side of the tiny table between them. The two of them going out for coffee is not a rare occurrence but, for some reason today feels different. Perhaps it’s because Reid’s own cup is sitting on the edge of the table, full to the brim and far from his reach; usually Reid can chug scalding coffee and be ready for his third cup while Rossi is still on his first. Or maybe, it’s because Reid has been shuffling a couple of papers, smoothing out creases that aren’t there. 

As Rossi sets the cup down on the table, he lets out a long sigh that has Reid finally looking up from his hands. 

“Okay, I guess I’ll have to say something first,” Rossi says, more to himself than to Reid, “What are those papers you’ve got there?”

Reid’s fidgeting fingers come to a halt. Then, instead of giving him a verbal response, he simply hands over the small stack of papers without meeting his eyes. 

For a moment, Rossi is puzzled as he rakes his eyes over the contents of the first page. Then, he realizes what exactly he is looking at. 

These are forms for the appointment of a new proxy, a new health care agent. The box listed for the name of the primary individual has already been filled in with a messy looking ‘Spencer Reid’. Not too far below it, the box for the name of the health care agent has been filled in with the same chicken scratch drawl from before, spelling out ‘David Rossi’.

“When I joined the FBI, I realized that I needed to update my medical information, in case something happened to me.” Reid begins to explain as he stares at the documents in Rossi’s hands, “It was a no-brainer when it came to who I wanted to make my medical decisions for me, when I couldn’t. My mother is indisposed. My father isn’t… But, Gideon was there.

“Until he wasn’t.” he adds on.

“Gideon was your health care agent.” Rossi confirms. 

Nodding, Reid shifts around until he can shove his hands underneath his thighs; something he always did to ground himself. 

“Even after he left, I never really bothered to change it; I guess I always thought if I was hurt, he would come running.” he admits, “Then, three weeks ago, I was...”

He doesn’t need to say anymore because Rossi remembers what happened three weeks ago in vivid detail. He’s not sure if he’ll ever be able to forget it; the sight of a beaten and bruised Reid laying against cold pavement as Rossi desperately called for EMS, the sound of the painfully silent waiting room, the lingering smell of blood being taken over by the scent of disinfectant as he walked into the hospital room. 

“I was dying,” Reid manages to continue, “And the hospital was calling Gideon, except his number wouldn’t go through and I knew that—”

His words are cut off as he turns his head to look up and away, in an attempt to prevent the tears from spilling down his face. 

“I knew that Gideon wasn’t going to come, that he was never going to come.”

“Spencer…” Rossi murmurs softly as he sets down the papers in his hand.

Using the back of his sleeve, Reid dabs at the corners of his eyes, wiping away the tears as he lets out a sniffle.

“I just need someone I can trust to be there for me.”

“Why me, though?” he asks, “Why not Hotch or JJ? Even Prentiss or Morgan? Garcia?”

“Oh.” Reid lets out.

If the heartbroken expression on Reid’s face is anything to go by, Rossi must’ve asked the wrong question. Within a second, Reid leans over the table and picks up the papers. 

“You’re right.” he continues as he stands up to pack away his belongings into his bag, “I should probably just ask the others. I don’t even know why I thought you would want to—”

Before he can get up and run away, Rossi lays a gentle hand against his wrist. It’s enough to get Reid to stop.

“Spencer,” Rossi says, “The answer is yes.”

“Oh.” Reid lets out again, looking dumbfounded. 

Without anything else to say, he simply slumps back down into his seat. His bag hitting the ground with a thud. His coffee rippling as he accidentally knocks his leg against the edge of the table.

“I just want to know why you would ask me to make decisions on your behalf if you’re, God-forbid, out of commission.”

A contemplative silence washes over Reid as he takes a minute to think about why he would want David Rossi, commitment issues extraordinaire, to be in charge of his body when he’s incapable of being so. 

“Y’know, for the longest time, Gideon was the closest thing I had to a father.” he starts off as he fiddles with the tassels at the end of the scarf wrapped around his neck, “Then, he left. I know why he did but, it just hurt; to know that all of those years were worth nothing when push came to shove.”

An overwhelming sense of dread begins to build inside of Rossi. His hands ball up into fists, where they rest against the tops of his thighs. 

If Reid is only asking him to be his health care agent out of some sort of strange transference because he misses Jason, Rossi won’t sign off on those papers. 

He cannot bear the thought of only being Gideon’s replacement in Reid’s eyes. 

“Listen Reid, if I’m just your second option—”

“No!” he exclaims before flushing when he realizes how loud he was, “Look, I’ve come to realize that though I considered Gideon my father, he didn’t consider me his son. He already had one. He was my mentor and a friend but, what we had wasn’t what a father-son relationship was supposed to be.

“But, you, Rossi?” Reid asks, “You helped me pick out my suit for my date. You brought me, Henry, and Jack out fishing that one weekend. You took Prentiss and I out on Father’s Day, and don’t even try and tell me you didn’t know what day it was.”

Rossi swallows down the sudden lump in his throat. 

When James had passed away and Carolyn and him had filed for divorce, Rossi vowed to himself to never have any children. The pain of losing a baby that had only lived for a total of three days was enough to do him over; he cannot imagine the pain of losing a five year old, a fifteen year old, a twenty five year old. 

As Reid lays everything he’s done before him in a neatly strung together set of words, Rossi realizes just how terribly he kept his promise. 

“I didn’t raise you, Spencer.” Rossi says, his voice coming out hoarse and watery at the same time, “But, I wish I had.”

All Reid can do is stare up at him and if this is the look he gives to those he loves, Rossi cannot understand how William Reid walked away from it, how he walked out on his son.

Rossi can’t talk much, though. He’s walked out on his fair share of people. 

Spencer won’t be one of them, though. Nor, will Emily. Not even Jack or Henry. No, for once, David Rossi is here to stay. 

“I don’t think you would’ve liked me when I was young.” Reid jokes, in an attempt to lighten the heavy atmosphere.

Rossi lets out a chuckle. 

“Who says I like you now?” he teases back as he brings the rim of his now lukewarm cup of coffee to his lips. 

**Author's Note:**

> don't yell at me abt how health care proxies work because i don't know nor do i care. 
> 
> now, leave me a comment or a kudo to feed my ego. or find me on tumblr at degrassi-fanatic, that works too.


End file.
